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Sunday, April 28, 2002
Alton
I want to talk for a minute about my friend Alton Grimes.
I met Alton in 1990, when I chanced to audition for a play at the Bellingham Theatre Guild. Alton was the AD and the technical director—a capacity he served on just about every production at the time. I hadn’t really planned to get deeply involved in theatre—I was only trying out for the show on a lark, anyway. I was a junior in college and looking for something to do. Anyway, I happened to audition, and I happened to get cast. So I happened to meet Alton, and he kept me there.
Alton was president of the Board of Directors at the Theatre Guild at the time, and he quickly signed me on as corresponding secretary. After that first show, I was involved in some capacity—backstage, on stage, or house staff—in each successive show for about the next two years straight. After spending four years knocking around Bellingham, just marking time, I had finally found a home.
It was at Alton’s suggestion that I start directing. He knew more about theatre than anyone else I’ve ever met—including the people in the theatre department at Cal Arts. He knew the technical side, he knew the artistic side, he could do it all—act, direct, sing, set design, light design—if it was in a theatre, Alton knew how to work it. He taught me everything I know about theatre, and I still don’t have 1/100th of the knowledge he did.
Alton was the person who inspired me to leave Bellingham and go to film school. Not by a direct suggestion, just by telling me over and over again, like he told everyone, “You should be doing what makes you happy.” He had a few simple rules: Don’t hurt people. Tell the truth. Keep your promises. Do what’s right.
He taught me how to read a script. How to direct a play. Hell, he taught my cat Buster how to fetch. When I lost my job only three months before leaving Bellingham for California, it was Alton and his wife Teri (another of my greatest influences) who invited me to spend the rest of my summer with them at their home. He taught me above everything else to be true to myself—something I haven’t really been for the past few years, something I had forgotten about.
Alton Grimes died last night after a long battle with cancer. I haven’t seen him in a year or so, but I’m going to miss him for the rest of my life. I never got the chance to tell him what he meant to me—mostly because I know he wouldn’t have wanted to hear it, he would have said, “Oh, shut up.” But I hope he knows that I’m grateful to him for the things he taught me, and for his friendship.
Those of you reading this, do me a favor tonight and lift a glass of scotch to Alton. If there’s a heaven, Alton’s up there right now readjusting the lights for the third act.
Friday, April 26, 2002
Horrorscope, again.
Libra, April 26, 2002:
Anxious attitudes may be crowding your space, dear Libra. It may seem as if you are hunched over at a desk with hundreds of different people shouting things at you, throwing things at you, and demanding your immediate decision on certain issues. Try not to get too frazzled by other people’s abrasive behavior. Spend some time alone if you need to, but try not to take your frustration out on others.
Dude, this should be my horoscope EVERY. DAY. It seems as if I am hunched over at a desk with hundreds of different people shouting things at me? That’s because I am hunched over at a desk with hundreds of different people shouting things at me.
And yet I sit here, updating my weblog on the sly. I’m a minx.
Friday Five - 4/26/02
1. What are your hobbies? Well, I don’t know if anyone else knows it or not, but I’m quite a fan of classic movies. No, honest.
2. Do you collect anything? If so, what? I collect penguins. Generally of the variety of small figurines and little penguin toys, but I’m always on the lookout for a nice penguin to add to my collection. I’ve also recently begun to collect classic movie posters (repros). I should say starting to collect them again-- I had a whole ton of them years ago and they became ruined when a pipe broke in my apartment.
3. Is there a hobby you’re interested in, but just don’t have the time/money to do? Well, original movie posters would be ideal. There are a lot of things I think about doing if I had more money. I’d like to buy a really nice guitar and learn to play it. I’d love to travel—I don’t know if traveling can be considered a hobby.
4. Have you ever turned a hobby into a moneymaking opportunity? No. I don’t think I’ve ever turned anything into a money-making opportunity.
5. Besides web-related stuff (burbs, rings, etc.), what clubs do you belong to? I’m a Damfino, i.e., a member of the Buster Keaton Fan Club. It’s also time to renew my membership in the American Screenwriters Association, but I think I’ll be short of dough this year. They upped the rates.
Thursday, April 25, 2002
Linkage
I’m famous. (Link to Brett Lamb’s old blog deleted) This is the where I got that dancing banana link, incidentally. Read this stuff, he’s funny. Anyone as committed to peanut butter & banana sandwiches as this guy is, is okay by me.
Wednesday, April 24, 2002
Cor Blimey, I taste like tea!
Cor blimey, I taste like Tea. |
Why do I do dorky things like this, anyway? Why don’t I just go to bed? Damn naps.
Incidentally, I was also a very close match for tasting like nuclear waste:
“I taste like Nuclear Waste. Delicious. Tasting like nuclear waste is a good thing - nothing bites me, nothing eats me, few things even touch me. I appreciate the solitude my harsh exterior brings.”
Tea, or nuclear waste? Nuclear waste seems nearer the mark somehow, but I like that “cor blimey, I taste like tea!” heading so much.
Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Secretary’s Day
Oh yeah. It was Secretary’s Day today (or Administrative Assistant Day, or whatever the hell they call it now). Last year Kelly and I each got a gift certificate for a massage.
This year? When I stopped by the boss’s house after work to drop off something for him, he offered me a soda. Thanks, Boss.
Several disparate thoughts in search of a common theme
I can’t endorse naps highly enough. Those of you out there who aren’t taking your naps, take note: naps are good.
I have been discovering Lux Radio Theater on Audiogalaxy in recent days. Fairly cool idea: if a movie in the ‘30s and ‘40s did any decent box office, they would get the cast together (when possible) and do a 1 hr. version on the radio. With the help of a little shareware audio converter, I’ve been able to burn a bunch of them on CD. They help the commute go by.
All yesterday evening I thought it was Wednesday, which bled into thinking today was Thursday. Somewhere in the back of my mind I’m still convinced tomorrow is Friday.
Oy. So many bills, so little money.
Tuesday, April 23, 2002
Nibbled to death by ducks
Okay, look. I am never taking my damn car to the Saturn place again. Yes, it’s bad enough what they charged me, but I was a sucker for walking into that one; I’ll accept the blame for that myself. But they called me THREE TIMES today to find out if I was satisfied with the service. AND they’re going to send me a damn survey in the mail, too. They called me once at work, and I told the gal politely but firmly: “Listen to me. I want a note put in my file that no one from your company is to contact me at work. I’m very busy here and I don’t have time for phone calls like this. If you want to make calls to me, you need to call my home.” And the chick goes, “Okay, but the survey is only two questions, as long as I’ve got you on the phone --” “NO.”
So, I’m sorry. If I can’t get my damn oil changed by the Saturn dealer without five follow-up phone calls, a houseplant and a customer service satisfaction survey, I would just as soon go to the Jiffy Lube. There is such a thing as carrying customer service too far.
Incidentally, to my friend LilyG if you are reading this: THIS is what is meant by “being nibbled to death by ducks.”
Sunday, April 21, 2002
Date review
This evening was my date with Ken, and I do have to say that he’s a very nice guy and we had a swell time. Mini-golf and Italian food, you really can’t go wrong with a combo like that. You can all get your minds out of the gutter, there was no hanky-panky. I’m not that kind of girl. Although I probably could be if given half a chance. Anyway, it was a very pleasant evening, and he’s a good guy and I’d like to get to know him better, and hopefully I’ll get that opportunity.
That’s about all there is to say about that.
